The price of Silence

Chapter 14:

The Price of Silence

The air in the Crooked Tankard was thick with the scent of stale ale, woodsmoke, and something indefinably… other. It was a haven for those who walked the edges of the mundane, a place where whispers of magic and myth mingled with the clinking of tankards and the raucous laughter of patrons who weren't quite human, or at least, not entirely. Conner found Rogue tucked away in a dimly lit corner, nursing a drink that glowed faintly green.

"This place never ceases to amaze me," Conner muttered, sliding into the booth opposite his brother. "How do you even find it?"

Rogue shrugged, a wry smile twisting his lips. "You learn to sniff out the unusual when you've lived with the Hawthornes. Besides," he added, his voice dropping, "Father sometimes… conducts business here."

Conner's stomach churned. The thought of his father, draped in his ceremonial robes, haggling with creatures of myth in this dimly lit tavern was deeply unsettling.

"So," Conner began, cutting to the chase. "What have you learned?"

Rogue leaned back, his gaze flickering around the room. "He's planning something… bigger than usual. Something that requires a… confluence of power, he called it. He's been meeting with some… individuals. Let's just say they aren't the kind you'd invite to tea with your grandmother."

"Individuals?" Conner pressed. "What kind of individuals?"

"Let's just say they have a vested interest in maintaining the… status quo," Rogue replied cryptically. He took a long pull of his drink. "And they're powerful. More powerful than anything we've faced before."

Conner felt a chill run down his spine. He had known their father was dangerous, but this… this was different. This felt like something that could shatter the very foundations of their world.

"Rogue," Conner said, his voice low and serious. "What exactly happened in the ritual hall? You were there. Something changed. Something… broke."

Rogue's eyes flickered away, a flicker of fear crossing his face. He swirled the remaining liquid in his glass, avoiding Conner's gaze.

"I… I can't talk about it," he stammered.

Conner's patience snapped. He reached across the table, grabbing Rogue's arm. "Don't give me that, Rogue. We're in this together. I need to know what happened. What did you see?"

Rogue flinched at his touch, his breath catching in his throat. He looked around the bar nervously, as if afraid someone might overhear.

"It was… the fae," he finally whispered, his voice hoarse. "Father… he didn't just take its magic. He… he did something else. Something… worse."

"Worse than killing it?" Conner asked, incredulous.

Rogue nodded slowly, his eyes filled with a horror that mirrored Conner's own growing dread.

"He… he ripped something from it, Conner. Something… essential. Its connection to its kind, its magic, its very… soul. He called it… the Nexus."

Conner stared at his brother, his mind reeling. He had heard whispers of the Nexus, a mythical source of magic, a connection to the very heart of the fae world. He had thought it was just a legend.

"And he… he took it?" Conner asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Rogue nodded again. "He used it… to amplify the ritual. To draw on… something darker. Something… ancient."

A wave of nausea washed over Conner. He understood now. He understood why everything had felt so different, so much more dangerous. His father hadn't just broken a tradition. He had violated something sacred, something fundamental. He had opened a door to a darkness that should have remained sealed.

"What… what does it mean?" Conner asked, his voice trembling.

Rogue shook his head. "I don't know. But I know it's bad, Conner. Really bad. We have to stop him. We have to find a way to… to close that door."

Conner released Rogue's arm, his mind racing. He knew now that this was more than just a family feud. This was a battle against something ancient, something powerful, something that threatened to consume them all. And he knew, with a chilling certainty, that the price of their silence had just become immeasurably higher.

Rogue we need to go see Raven, maybe she can help put some pieces together as to what father's end goal is, Rogue nodded and they both got up and left...